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Hello Everyone.
WOW! Where has the time gone?
It seems like yesterday summer was rolling in and now autumn is upon us…
At least the scorching heat is giving way to cooler mornings and balmy evenings, my second favourite time of year here in Dubai. Perfect for hitting the beach and playing in the sand and surf 🙂

Well, below are photos of my latest offerings for the Fall Inspired Mug Rug Swap organised by Michele Foster from the Quilting Gallery.
This time my recipient is in Belgium 🙂
Enjoy
Lots of love
Chrissie x

Hello Everyone
This week I’ve been brought down to earth with a bit of a bump by a reminder that autumn is almost upon us!
What a long hot summer it’s been here. While my blog may have been quiet I have been very busy, not least with having a go at making a double wedding ring runner. More to come on that one.

Well, along with the reminder was an invitation to take part in another mug rug swap 🙂 Hooray!
If you have seen my previous posts, you will know that I’m a big fan.
Take a look at the link, why not join in and have a go?

Living in Dubai I am blessed with friends from all over the world:
As well as the United Arab Emirates, they come from America, South Africa, Australia, Germany, Canada, Iran, Iraq, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia to name but a few of the people that make up the eclectic population of this incredible country.

When I started making this quilt, almost three years ago, I was inspired by one of my Canadian friends to stack and whack some of my favourite fabrics.
Some of the gorgeous fabrics came from previous projects, and some of them came out of my stash.
Many of my friends will know how much I love bright cheery colours (some of them are actually quite scared by my choice of combinations and will run away when I ask them what they think of them. But hey, we’re all different 🙂 ) so were not surprised when this quilt came into being.

The name of my quilt is also inspired by two of my lovely South African friends.
For those who do not speak Afrikaans (I have to mention here that I only know one or two words) the Afrikaans word Mengelmoeskardoes does not have an English equivalent but generally means a mash of colours.
As for Melange, I just love the Frenchy sound of it.

So I dedicate this post to all my wonderful eclectic Melange of Mengelmoeskardoes friends all over the world.
Thank you for all your support, I love you all very much.

Decision made 🙂
I stepped outside my comfort zone, left behind my beloved blanket stitch and went for the naïve look.
It was surprisingly more tricky to do than I thought, but overall I’m quietly pleased with the results.

Take a look and let me know what you think….

Next to create the backs, maybe pinwheels, maybe…… oh the sweet agony of another creative decision 🙂

Hello Again
I don’t usually post up twice in one day, but I’m so happy to be back at my sewing machine trying out Vicki Ruebel’s Little Buddy Coasters for Michel Foster’s swap.
I’ve been messing about with different applique techniques and really cannot decide which one to do.
Take a peep and let me know which one you like best.
Enjoy, I certainly have 🙂
While you’re at it, why not check out Vicki’s blog?http://www.quiltinglodgeblog.com/
TTFN
Chrissie

It’s time to share the love again!
Michele Foster aka Mishka is doing it again.
This time the swap is Little Buddy Coasters designed by Vicki Ruebel.
They are sew cute, how you could possibly resist them?
So all you quilters out there, if you fancy cooking up some cutesy little bug coasters, get yourself over to the quilting gallery to register for your pattern and get ready to have some fun!

Hello Again Friends
I can finally reveal my secret project 🙂
It is a memory quilt reflecting the life of our Akela of 2nd Dubai Cub Scouts.
Our Cub Scout Leader will leaving at the end of this term 😦 after XX ahem years of living in Dubai and the Middle East and having given more than XX ahem years of service to Scouting.
So what do you give to a man who has dedicated a huge amount of his time to such a worthy cause?
A quilt of course 🙂 which we presented to him last night amid a few tears and blubbing later on.

Aklea will be sorely missed by the Cubs and Leaders as well as all his friends here.
He leaves a large hole and a huge pair of boots to be filled.
I just hope I’m big enough to fill them.
I will do my best…..

Hello Again Friends
Some of you will know that I’ve had my head down recently studying towards my City and Guilds level 3 Patchwork and Quilting. I’ve had loads of fun so far and looked ahead to see what the future modules held and was caught up short when I saw that I was going to have to confront English paper piecing….

Years ago I saw my mother fiddling and twiddling with teeny weeny bits of fabric over pieces of paper and thought “no way Jose” and for years believed that this was what patchwork and quilting was all about…
If someone had told me then that I would be doing EPP I would have run out of the room screaming.
Up until yesterday afternoon I would have rather put my hand in a basket full of snakes, such was my aversion to it.
So what changed?
I discovered a wonderful book written by Jessica Alexandrakis called “Quilting On The Go! Paper piecing patchwork you can take anywhere: techniques, patterns and projects”

What a revelation! Published this year, Jessica’s book is filled with lovely photographs showing simple step by step techniques to achieve wonderful paper pieced quilts.
I love her easy and friendly style and the fact that she’s equally passionate about sharing her passion with the world. You can’t help but love her…
For anyone like me who would rather have wrestled a reptile than even consider doing EPP this book will surely turn you around.
I’m so excited I can’t wait to get started 🙂

Hello Friends
As promised, here is more news about remade DXB and yours truly.
In my last post I was delighted to meet the lovely ladies of remade DXB, Paula and Teresa and I have been invited to teach a class about my favourite things, quilting and fused applique.
🙂 HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!
I recently designed a selection of small projects that could be completed in a few hours and I am thrilled to be able to share my passions with new friends and keep the craft alive.
So, if you would like to join in the fun and learn some new skills and make a cutesy coffee break mug rug, or if you prefer tea break, then come along to reMADE DXB on Tuesday 21st May 9.30am-12.30pm
(booking is essential as places are limited to 6 per class)

Check out their facebook page calendar for all the different events taking place and don’t worry if you can’t make the 21st, there will more fusable applique, mini quilt classes running in June.

Take a look below at the project samples you can make.
Look forward to seeing you soon 🙂